BVAL 01

Chapter 01

Goodbye, everyone!

“Lady Kalia, we’ve arrived at the Imperial Palace.”

The butler’s calm voice broke through my midday drowsiness.

I cracked my stiff neck and stepped down from the carriage.

Even that ticklish “young lady” title had become quite familiar after a month.

“Michael, should I just go back?”

“You insisted on coming all the way here. Don’t forget that. Go on in.”

The butler spoke coldly, turned his back on me, and drove off without a second glance.

Letting out a sigh, I trudged up the stairs.

‘At this rate, I’ll be full just from getting insulted.’

In the original story, Kalia was a villainess who tried to isolate the heroine, Anael, in high society—but failed, and ended up being ostracized herself.

Then, in a final desperate attempt, she tried to assassinate Anael, failed, and was executed for blasphemy.

Seriously, what kind of nerve did she have to go up against the saintess of the Grand Temple?

Is rushing into flames like a moth just the fate of a villainess?

If it were me, I’d roast marshmallows over that fire instead.

“Look over there, it’s the Duchess of Lavius.”

“My, how shameless. How dare she show her face here?”

I could hear noble ladies whispering, all dressed up in elaborate gowns and makeup.

The point at which I possessed this body was right after Kalia had been socially isolated.

After waking up in the Lavius duchy, I spent a whole month holed up in the mansion, figuring out the situation.

But no matter how much of a homebody I was, there’s a limit to staying inside a mansion in a world without electronics.

And from what I’d discreetly learned through the ducal household, Kalia’s reputation in the capital’s noble society had hit rock bottom.

Honestly, even if Kalia was a villainess, she hadn’t killed anyone or caused permanent harm.

Yet based on the rumors, she was being treated like the worst trash in history.

‘I’d rather not get pelted with eggs while walking around, so I have no choice but to take drastic measures.’

And so, here I was—attending my first official banquet since transmigrating.

The imperial spring banquet, the “May Festival.”

A grand event attended by the most prominent nobles of the capital, along with many minor nobles from the provinces.

And as the villainess, I was already being insulted before even stepping inside.

“Look at that hunched back. Has she given up on etiquette now?”

Criticizing my posture? How dare they ignore the chronic scoliosis of modern people.

Though I wasn’t sure if Kalia had it too.

“She can’t even follow basic etiquette. What a disgrace to the duchy.”

Yes, yes, that disgrace would be me.

After staying cooped up for a month, climbing these endless stairs is killing me.

I want to suggest the Emperor install an escalator with magic.

“It seems she’s finally realized she’s the one who should be bowing—not Lady Anael!”

Oh, what a creative interpretation. Let’s go with that. It’s not wrong.

The criticism didn’t hit me too hard.

Given all the things Kalia had done, it made sense they’d be eager to insult her.

And honestly, the sweet life of a duke’s daughter more than made up for this level of backlash.

“With such a daughter, the Duke of Lavius must be very worried.”

Listening even to some unknown nobleman’s concern for my “father,” I finally reached the top of the stairs, out of breath.

“Phew… Only the strong survive in a place like this.”

The servant guarding the massive doors looked at me strangely.

“Do I need to knock before going in?”

“N-No!”

Startled, the servant quickly announced my arrival.

“Lady Kalia Lavius of the ducal house!”

Murmurs spread.

The moment I stepped into the banquet hall, straightening my back, piercing gazes enveloped me.

My name is Kalia—the infamous one.

But I don’t care about others’ stares.

I exhaled and looked around.

The imperial palace banquet hall was enormous—like a sports field—and everything in sight looked more expensive than my annual salary.

Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the walls were entirely covered in intricately decorated golden mirrors.

‘With just that gold, you could probably give all 50 million Koreans a gold ring each.’

On one side, a large marble table was filled with dishes so extravagant they looked like works of art rather than food—as if Michelin three-star chefs were competing.

With all this glittering splendor, how was I supposed to find the male and female leads?

In the novel, the heroine was described as so beautiful she radiated light…

“Ugh. My eyes.”

I almost went blind. I want compensation.

From that once-in-a-century beauty over there.

Her radiant silver hair reflected the chandelier’s light.

As my gaze moved downward, mesmerized, I saw her—

The heavens’ favorite idol.

Truly, a beauty not of this world.

A straight forehead and neat brows matching her upright personality.

Dense silver eyelashes, beneath which shone beautiful violet eyes.

A high nose and perfectly full lips.

No wonder she was the heroine.

‘The most beautiful in the world. 인정.’

Her slender figure in a white silk dress, sparkling like scattered diamonds…

I felt like proposing, even though we’d just met.

Her future husband would have to worship her like a god.

Well, she really is a saintess.

If I’d come here without thinking, I might’ve asked if she was recruiting wives instead of husbands.

I forced myself to look away before going blind—and froze in shock.

The walls were mirrors.

Meaning I saw myself.

‘Am I a magical girl? When did I turn into a red-haired sea creature in a dress?’

In the original, Kalia Lavius was supposed to be a beauty who ruled society with power.

…Where did that beauty go?

But looking closer, everyone else looked like sea creatures too.

I realized it then: in front of Anael, everyone becomes a sea creature equally.

Except maybe the Emperor sitting on the throne, watching us.

With his black hair and golden eyes, he stood out as a handsome man, seemingly protected by male-lead buffs from becoming seafood.

But he was far away, so I focused on Anael.

Wait… did we just make eye contact?

“…Lady Lavius?”

The moment I heard Anael’s clear voice calling me, my ears surrendered in admiration.

She wasn’t just a saintess—she was the goddess of beauty.

Even her name starts with “A,” like Aphrodite. Of course.

“Anael.”

“You’re calling my name today.”

She murmured, looking slightly surprised.

I’d come prepared to be attacked, but Anael remained composed, as expected of a saintess.

But the other nobles were not.

Remembering Kalia’s past insults toward their idol, they exploded in outrage.

“How shameless.”

“How can she walk with her head held high?”

“Even the Duke of Lavius is ridiculous, sending such a delinquent here again.”

At this rate, I’d ruin the whole family.

That wasn’t my goal, so I quickly spoke.

“What matters isn’t the past.”

Yes, I admit—that was a terrible opening line for a former bully.

The crowd erupted.

“How dare she say that before Lady Anael!”

“Villainess! Disappear from society!”

“She should be exiled from the Empire!”

They didn’t stop at words.

Some picked up food from nearby tables.

And not in a normal way.

…Food fight mode.

‘Hey, male lead—you’re the Emperor. Aren’t you going to stop this?’

But the Emperor had completely lost interest.

…Is he resisting the urge to throw something too?

I tried anyway.

“Everyone, please calm down—”

Of course, it didn’t work.

“Take this!”

A tomato—no, caprese—flew at me.

“And this!”

Cake. Soft. Creamy. Not something I wanted in my nose.

Apparently, their devotion to the saintess outweighed all sense.

Eventually, after I’d been generously “fed” with food, the Emperor finally stood.

“Enough! What do you think you’re doing in the imperial palace?!”

The throwing stopped, but the anger remained.

“From now on, anyone causing a disturbance will be punished.”

‘From now on’? So everything before is forgiven?

Typical scheming male lead.

Anael, meanwhile, looked flustered rather than satisfied.

If the Emperor hadn’t stepped in, she might have tried to stop them herself.

‘Not that it would’ve worked.’

I walked toward the marble table, covered in finger foods.

The crowd parted, sensing something.

I picked up a champagne glass and tapped it lightly with a spoon.

Clink—Clink—Clink—

The clear sound echoed.

“Everyone.”

Honestly, I didn’t even need to do that—they were already watching me.

Anyway.

“I said the past doesn’t matter, right?”

“I can’t change what’s already happened. I know that well.”

Murmurs spread.

“So I decided what matters is what I do from now on.”

Anael stared at me.

It was a shame—I’d forever remain crazy in her eyes.

But as a former modern person, I couldn’t give up a comfortable life.

“I came here today to say this.”

Taking a deep breath, I declared:

“I, Kalia, deeply repent—and will never appear in high society again.”

I am NOT climbing those stairs again.

“Goodbye, everyone.”

I cast off all the constraints of this world and set off to find my happiness!

After bowing at a perfect ninety degrees, I left the banquet hall and immediately packed my things, heading to a remote territory of the duchy.

Transmigrated as a villainess?

Even better.

No need to meet people?

Even better!

Thus began my happy, unemployed life.